While this garden is open all year round, visiting it during the tour day provides an opportunity to ask the docents about any particularly interesting plants or features.

Address: Center Dr & Martin Ave, Palo Alto (click the address to show it on a map).

Directions: From 101, take Embarcadero exit toward Stanford. Turn right on Newell, left on Channing and right on Center to Martin. Walk down the gravel road through the trees. The garden is located in the northern part of Eleanor Pardee Park.

Showcase Features: Designed, installed and maintained by the UCCE Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County the water-wise garden showcases plants and cultural techniques for summer dry gardening. The garden strategy is to be as thrifty as possible with water, plant nutrients, and gardener labor, while striving to be an attractive and colorful ornamental garden all year round.

Other Garden Attractions: The garden is a place for the public to see low-water consuming plants used in an attractive ornamental landscape. The garden is planted with a mix of California native and Mediterranean-climate plants. Plants growing in the garden include manzanita, coffeeberry, ceanothus, yarrow, California fuchsia and sage. Both shade loving and sun loving natives are growing in the garden. Winding paths through the garden allow visitors to easily view the plants in the different beds.

One goal is to evaluate new plants for suitability in our climate. We always are trying out new plants, come see what's new and unusal.

The garden is a good place to learn about low-water-use irrigation. Several types of low-flow irrigation systems have been installed in the garden and their reliability and effectiveness have been evaluated.

Adjacent to the water-wise garden is a second garden featuring international-themed beds that showcase unusal varieties of vegatables intermixed with beautiful flowers. A high-density fruit tree orchard and espaliered apples and pear trees are also on display.

UCCE Master Gardeners will be present during the tour to answer any horticulural questions you may have.

Gardening for Wildlife: Butterflies, bees, lady beetles, squirrels, and many types of birds, regularly visit the garden. Food sources for beneficial insects are provided as part of the garden's IPM methods.

Years of CA Native Gardening at this Location: 9

Garden Size: 25,000 sq ft

Designer: UCCE Master Gardeners
Installer: UCCE Master Gardeners

Click here to display the plant list in a printer-friendly format.